Meter system.



PATENTED MAR. 28, 1905.

J. A. TILDEN. METER SYSTEM.

APPLIOATION FILED 00T. 24. v1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

/Alm 67 PATENTED MAR. 28, 1905.

J. A. TILDEN. METER SYSTEM.

APPLIOATION FILED 00T. 24, 1904.

//7 Ven/fA Jag/m @6 g/en UNITED STATES Patented March 2s, 1905.

PATENT OEEICEQa JA MES A. TILDEN, OE HYDEPARK, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORTO HERSEY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SOUTH BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A

CORPORATION OE MAINE.

METER SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 785,923, dated March28, 1905.

Application filed October 24, 1904. Serial No. 2291866- To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. TILDEN, a citi- Een of the United States,residing at Hydepark, in the county. of Norfolk and State of 5Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsA inMeter Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to meter systems, and more particularly to those inwhich a plurality ro of conduits is provided for the passage of thefluid. Such organizations may comprise a main conduit of suficientcapacity to permit it to deliver the maximum flow-such, for example, asmay be necessary to meet the extraordinary demands of fire-service andwhich it is not desired to obstruct y a measuring device, which mainconduit has associatedwith it at some convenient-point a by-pass adaptedto properly transmit the ordinary flow and which containsasuitable meterfor recording this. To rendersuch an arrangement effective, it isnecessary to place in the main conduit between the by-pass openingsmeans for closingit under the normal conditions, and

to provide such an apparatus which will operate with certainty upon adefinite increase in the rate of flow, and which will further give anindication of its operation, are the principal objects of my invention.

Figure l is a top plan view of a meter system embodying` one form of myinvention. Eig. Q is a central vertical longitudinal section through themain conduit, and Figs. 3, 4L, 5, and 6 are side elevations illustratingother forms of my invention.

Similar charactersof reference indicate like parts throughout theseveral figures of the drawings.

10 designates a main conduit, the diameter of which is sufficient toenable it to convey without undue resistance the greatest fluidfiowwhich it may be desired to supply. Opening from this is a by-passconduit 11, the capacity of which is such as to satisfactorily providefor the normal supply, and in this by-pass is'situated a meter 12 of anydesired type. In the main conduit between the bypass openings is asection 13, containing a seat 111, surrounding an opening of the properarea and which is here shown as horizontally disposed. Vith this seatcoacts a controlling device or valve 15, having extending from itsopposite sides stems 16 and 17. The former may be retained againstexcessive lateral movement by a socket 18, formed upon the under side ofa removable cap 19 for the section 13, said cap giving access to thevalve. The stem 17 may be similarly guided by a spider 20, situatedwithin a chamber 21, conveniently of cylindrical form and rising fromthe bottom of the section at the side of the valve toward theinduction-opening of the bypass. This chamber furnishes a passage 22,preferably connected with the atmosphere through a contracted opening at23, into which is made a pipe 24. The inner opening of this chamber orpassage is controlled by the valve, which preferably contactssimultaneously with both its seat and the inner extremity 25 of thechamber. To permit the valve to readily adjust itself to the surfaceswith which it contacts, the fit of the stems 16 and 17 in the guides ismade free, giving some lateral play.

With the pipe 24 is connected an indicator which may be in the form ofrecording' mech- 7S anism, this being shown in the present instance as ameter 26.

The ratio of the area of the valve-opening comprised within the seat andthe area of the chamber or passage opening may be prede- 8O termined andbear some definite relation to the Huid-head in the system, so thatthere will be an excess of pressure of the desired magnitude upon theupper side of the valve or that toward the eduction-opening ofthebypass, which will be proportional to excess of effective area, and4this under static conditions will be wholly exerted to hold the valveupon its seat and the main conduit closed. This clo- At the moment theloss of head equals the pressure upon the valve resulting from thedifference in effective area said valve is in a state of unstableequilibrium, when the slightest increase in the rate of flow causes itto instantly rise and establish a free passage through the main conduit.The lift of the valve simultaneously opens the chamber 2l, and a limitedflow occurs throughthe pipe 24, indicating the existence of the newcondition of the system. By having' in this pipe a properly-calibratedmeter, the area of the opening 23 being' known, this indication willbecome a record of the length of time that the valve was open.

Instead of a meter,as has just been described, any other convenientindicator may be ernployed. At the left of Fig. 3 a registering'- gage27 is shown as connected by a pipe 28 with the opening' 23, thisrecording the time at which the condition of the pressure in the passagein excess of that of the atmosphere was inaugurated. Leading from theopening 23 is also shown a pipe 29, communicating with an ordinarypressure-gage 30. This furnishes a visible signal, but not a record. Itwill be obvious that these gages may be placed in any position wheretheir particular indication will mosteffeotivel y inform the observers.

In Fig. 4 the pipe 24 is illustrated as leading to a chamber 31, acrosswhich extends a.

This diaphragm supiiexible diaphragm 32. ports a stem 33, extending'upwardly from it and having at its extremity a contact member 34. Thecontact member coacts with suitable insulated fixed contacts 35 35, fromwhich lead a circuit 36, containing some suitable source of electricalenergy, as a battery 37, and an audible signal, which may be in the formof an electric bell 38. In the arrangement just described and also thatillustrated in Fig. 3 the indicators associated with the outlets fromthe chambers do not supply communication with the atmosphere, and toprovide for this contracted vents 39 are preferably furnished, leadingfrom the chambers, pipes, or indicators.

Fig. 5 shows an audible signal in the form of a bell 40, which hasassociated with it for its operation a hydraulic motor 4l, supplied bythe flow through the pipe 24. In Fig. 6 a visible indication isfurnished bya frangible diaphragm 42, extending across the open end of achamber 43, in which the pipe 24 terminates. .This diaphragm is rupturedwhen the pressure in the system is applied to it by the opening of thevalve.

In any case it will be seen that flows properly transmitted by themeter-conduit are conlined thereto and measured, while for abnormaldemands upon the system a free passage is furnished through the mainconduit, this becoming' effective at any desired point in the increaseof velocity and operating promptly and in a reliable manner, and that anindication or record is at the same time furnished,

serving to give interested persons information of the occurrence orextent of this increased How.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- l. A meter systemcomprising' a main conduit, a by-pass opening' therefrom, a meter in theby-pass, and a valve in the main conduit between the by-pass openings,the conduit having a passage open to the atmosphere and controlled bythe movement of the valve.

2. A meter system comprising a main conduit, a by-pass openingtherefrom, a meter in the by-pass, and a valve in the main conduitbetween the by-pass opening's, the conduit having a passage open to theatmosphere and with which the valve coacts.

3. A meter system comprising a main conduit, a by-pass openingtherefrom, a meter in the by-pass, and a valve in the main conduitbetween the by-pass openings, the conduit having a passage open to theatmosphere and with which the valve coacts at the side toward the induction-opening of the by-pass.

4. A meter system comprising' a main conduit, a by-pass openingtherefrom, a controlling device in the main conduit between the by-passopenings, means for normally maintaining' an excess of fluid-pressureupon one side ofthe controlling device, and an indicator under theiniiuence of the controlling device.

5. A meter system comprising a main conduit, a by-pass openingtherefrom, a meter in the by-pass, a valve in the main conduit betweenthe by-pass openings, the conduit having a passage open to theatmosphere and controlled by the movement of the valve, and an indicatorconnected with the passage.

6. A meter system comprising a main conduit, a by-pass openingtherefrom, ameter in the by-pass, a valve in the main conduit betweenthe by-pass openings, the conduit having a passage open to theatmosphere and controlled by the movement of the valve, and mechanismconnected with the passage and furnishing an indication after the flowthrough said passage has ceased.

7 A meter system comprising a main conduit, a by-pass opening therefrom,a controlling device in the main conduit between the by-pass openings,the conduit having' a passage open to the atmosphere and under theiniiuence of the controlling device, and indicating' mechanism connectedwith the passage.

8. A meter system comprising' a main conduit, a by-pass openingtherefrom, a meter in the by-pass, a valve in the main conduit betweenthe by-pass openings, the conduit having a passage open to theatmosphere and with which the valve coacts at the side toward theinduction-opening of the by-pass, and indieating mechanism connectedwith the passage.

. 9. A meter system comprising a main conduit, a by-pass openingtherefrom, a meter in the by-pass, a valve in the main conduit be- IOOIOS

IIO

tween the by-pass openings, and a chamber in the conduit with whiohthevalve eoaets at the side toward the induction-opening of the by-pass.

l0. A meter system comprising a main conduit, a ley-pass openingtherefrom, a meter in the by-pass, a Valve in the main conduit betweenthe by-pa-ss openings, a chamber n the conduit with which the valveeoaets, and a meter Connected with the chamber.

l1. A meter system comprising a main conduit, a by-pass openingtherefrom, a meter in the bypass, a Valve in the main conduit betweenthe by-pass openings, the conduit having a passage open to theatmosphere and with which the Valve eoaets, and a meter connected withthe passage.

Signed at Boston, in' the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,this 19th day of October, 1904.

JAMES A. TILDEN.

Witnesses: l

HENRY D. WINTON, FRANCIS C. HERSEY, Jr.

